Slav's Fortress

The castle of Despot Alexius Slav, also called Slav's Fortress, stands near Melnik in the Pirin Mountains. Between 1211 and 1230, this castle served as Despot Slav's capital. In 1211, the despot moved his capital from Tsepina to Melnik. This period is also associated with the appearance of a church bell bearing a donor's inscription connected with his newborn child. This artefact is the first of its kind in Europe.